Geneva Study Bible I am come into my garden, my sister, my spouse: I have gathered my myrrh with my spice; I have eaten my honeycomb with my honey; I have drunk my wine with my milk: eat, O friends; drink, yea, drink abundantly, O beloved. I have come into my {a} garden, my sister, my spouse: I have gathered my myrrh with my spice; I have eaten my honeycomb with my honey; I have drank my wine with my milk: eat, O friends; drink, yea, drink abundantly, O beloved.
(a) The garden signifies the kingdom of Christ, where he prepares the banquet for his elect. I sleep, but my heart waketh: it is the voice of my beloved that knocketh, saying, Open to me, my sister, my love, my dove, my undefiled: for my head is filled with dew, and my locks with the drops of the night. {b} I sleep, but my heart waketh: it is the voice of my beloved that knocketh, saying, Open to me, my sister, my love, my dove, my undefiled: for my head is filled with dew, and my locks with the drops of the {c} night.
(b) The spouse says that she is troubled with the cares of worldly things, which is meant by sleeping. (c) Declaring the long patience of the Lord toward sinners. I have put off my coat; how shall I put it on? I have washed my feet; how shall I defile them? I have put off my {d} coat; how shall I put it on? I have washed my feet; how shall I defile them?
(d) The spouse confesses her nakedness, and that of herself she has nothing, or seeing that she is once made clean she promises not to defile herself again. My beloved put in his hand by the hole of the door, and my bowels were moved for him. My beloved put in his hand by the hole of the door, and my bowels were moved for him.
I rose up to open to my beloved; and my hands dropped with myrrh, and my fingers with sweet smelling myrrh, upon the handles of the lock. I rose up to open to my beloved; and my hands flowed with myrrh, and my {e} fingers with sweet smelling myrrh, upon the handles of the lock.
(e) The spouse who should be anointed by Christ will not find him if she thinks to anoint him with her good works. I opened to my beloved; but my beloved had withdrawn himself, and was gone: my soul failed when he spake: I sought him, but I could not find him; I called him, but he gave me no answer. I opened to my beloved; but my beloved had withdrawn himself, and was gone: my soul failed when he spake: I sought him, but I could not find him; I called him, but he gave me no answer.
The watchmen that went about the city found me, they smote me, they wounded me; the keepers of the walls took away my veil from me. The {f} watchmen that went about the city found me, they smote me, they wounded me; the keepers of the walls took away my veil from me.
(f) These are the false teachers who wound the conscience with their traditions. I charge you, O daughters of Jerusalem, if ye find my beloved, that ye tell him, that I am sick of love. I charge you, {g} O daughters of Jerusalem, if ye find my beloved, that ye tell him, that I am sick with love.
(g) She asks of them who are godly (as the law and salvation should come out of Zion and Jerusalem) that they would direct her to Christ. What is thy beloved more than another beloved, O thou fairest among women? what is thy beloved more than another beloved, that thou dost so charge us? {h} What is thy beloved more than another beloved, O thou fairest among women? what is thy beloved more than another beloved, that thou dost so charge us?
(h) Thus say they of Jerusalem. My beloved is white and ruddy, the chiefest among ten thousand. My beloved is white and ruddy, the chiefest among ten thousand.
His head is as the most fine gold, his locks are bushy, and black as a raven. His {i} head is as the most fine gold, his locks are bushy, and black as a raven.
(i) She describes Christ to be of perfect beauty and comeliness. His eyes are as the eyes of doves by the rivers of waters, washed with milk, and fitly set. His eyes are as the eyes of doves by the rivers of waters, washed with milk, and fitly set.
His cheeks are as a bed of spices, as sweet flowers: his lips like lilies, dropping sweet smelling myrrh. His cheeks are as a bed of spices, as sweet flowers: his lips like lilies, dropping sweet smelling myrrh.
His hands are as gold rings set with the beryl: his belly is as bright ivory overlaid with sapphires. His hands are as gold rings set with the beryl: his belly is as bright ivory overlaid with sapphires.
His legs are as pillars of marble, set upon sockets of fine gold: his countenance is as Lebanon, excellent as the cedars. His legs are as pillars of marble, set upon sockets of fine gold: his countenance is as Lebanon, excellent as the cedars.
His mouth is most sweet: yea, he is altogether lovely. This is my beloved, and this is my friend, O daughters of Jerusalem. His mouth is most sweet: yea, he is altogether lovely. This is my beloved, and this is my friend, O daughters of Jerusalem. The Geneva Bible Translation Notes [1599] Bible Hub |
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